shot at the bull from the window, but, ascertaining from _Sir
William Ashton Bishop_ that _Ellen Lucy Terry_ is being Terryfied by
an Irish bull which has got mixed up with the Scotch "herd without,"
_Henry Edgar Irving_ rushes off, gun in hand; then the report of the
gun is, like the Scotch oxen, also "_heard_ without," and _Henry_
reappears on the scene, having saved _Ellen Lucy Ashton_ by reducing
the fierce bull to potted beef.

[Illustration]

"What shall he have who kills the bull?" "The Dear! the Dear!"
meaning, of course, _Ellen Lucy Ashton_ aforesaid. After this all
goes well. Acting excellent all round--or nearly all round, the one
exception being, however, the very much "all-round" representative
of _Lady Ashton_, whose misfortune it is to have been selected for
this particular part. Scenery lovely, and again and again must HAWES
MCCHAVEN be congratulated on the beautiful scene of The Mermaiden's
Well (never better, in fact), Act III. The love-making bit in this
Act is charming, and the classic Sibyl, _Ailsie_, superb. Nothing in
stage effect within our memory has equalled the pathos of the final
_tableau_. It is most touching through its extreme simplicity.

The Haymarket has re-opened with the odd mixture of the
excellent French _Abbe Constantin_ and the weak, muddle-headed,
Tree-and-Grundy-ised "village Priest," known as the _Abbe Dubois_,
or "_Abbe Do Bore_," as 'ARRY might call him. Changes are in
contemplation, and may have been already announced. Whatever they may
be, it is some consolation to learn that this Tree-and-Grundy-ised
French Abbe is not likely to be a "perpetual Curate."

* * * * *

MR. PUNCH'S PRIZE NOVELS.

NO. II.--BURRA MURRA BOKO.

(_BY_ KIPPIERD HERRING, _AUTHOR OF "SOLDIERS' TEA," "OVER THE
DARODEES," "HANDSOME HEADS ON THE VALETS," "MORE BLACK THAN WHITE,"
"EXPERIMENTAL DITTOS," &C., &C._)

[NOTE.--The MS. of this story arrived from India by pneumatic
despatch, a few puffs having been apparently sufficient.
In a letter which was enclosed with it the author modestly
apologises for its innumerable merits. "But," he adds, "I have
several hundred of the same sort in stock, and can supply them
at a moment's notice. Kindly send L1000 in Bank of England
notes, by registered letter, to K. HERRING. No farther address
will be required."]

_Polla dan anta cat anta._ What will you have, Sahib? My heart is
made fat, and